Planar translucent light shade



Feb. 16, 1954 5. E. M FADDEN PLANAR TRANSLUCENT LIGHT SHADE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 21, 1950 EM HI M u m. W m 7 w/v 9 m 2 a m :lail M Z/li i u a -L I 2 a 0 2 4 m m m 9 m m f a l. H F M.

GLENN E. MACFADDEN ATTORNEYS 1954 e. E. M FADDEN PLANAR TRANSLUCENT LIGHT SHADE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 21, 1950 INVENTOR. GLENN E. MACFADDEN BY 4.1a, 'FJuTLfl A 7' TORNE Y8 Patented Feb. 16,1954

UNITED STATES 2,669,651 PLANARTTRAN'SLUCENT LIGHT SHADE- a corporation Application November 21, 1950; Serial N o. 196K894 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to light fixtures and more particularly to translucent light shades of the type usually associated with overhead ceiling lights or wall lights.

The invention consists of an inexpensive and aesthetically pleasing shade construction which will present a translucent planar bottom surface of glass bearing a suitable design and bounded on its periphery by a vertical upstanding decorated strip or gallery. The gallery is supported by the glass and is fastened thereto by a clamping arrangement to be described later.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a light shade that is highly original in appearance and yet is of simple construction so that it can be fabricated at relatively low cost.

Another object is to provide a light shade that has a peripheral gallery which is attached to the bottom of the shade by inexpensive, aesthetically pleasing clamping or supporting means.

Another object is to provide a lighting fixture adapted to be supported at its center by suitable means depending from a ceilin and which will present, when viewed from below, a pleasing translucent decorated surface bounded by an upstanding gallery.

Still further objects will be apparent from the following specification, claim and drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention shown in association with a light fixture and with some of the repetitive detail omitted.

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 22 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 33 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the invention.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of a modification of the invention.

Figure 1 shows the invention in association with an overhead light fixture, generally indicated in phantom view at l2 and depending from the ceiling l3. Clustered about the light fixture in the conventional manner are a plurality of horizontally extending light bulbs I4. A decorative knob or nut 15 is threadedly engaged on a suitable depending stud which is integral with the lighting fixture. Supported by the nut i5 is a decorative plate 16 which, in turn, supports a planar piece of decorated glass I! (see Figure 4). For purposes of convenience the plate It and glass ll are illustrated in Figure 4 with relatively simple decorative designs; it is obvious, however, that these surfaces may have more elaborate decorative designs formed: or-stenciled on them? to further enhance-the appearance: of the shade.

The periphery of the glass I! has theconformation shown in Figure .4 including slightly re-entrant notches 2i andleafs or nodes ll. Bounding this periphery is a gallery [8 depending from the bottom edge of which are a series of small hooks l9 forming together a flange or lip adapted to engage the edge of the glass I! as seen in Figure 3.

The gallery 18 is formed in four parts labelled 18a, l8b, 18c, and l8d respectively. The end of each part of the gallery is folded back on itself to form a clip receiving aperture. One such foldback of gallery part its is shown at 20a and one foldback of gallery part |8b is shown at 20b. Entering the apertures formed by the foldbacks 20a and 28b are the two flanges of an elongated clip 22. In cross section thi clip 22 has the shape of an angular 0. Each leg of the 0 lies fiat against the corresponding flange of foldback 20a or 2% and extends to the inside corner of foldback 26a or 28b to form a rigid connection between gallery part [8a and 18b. The clip 22 is fastened over foldbacks 20a and 201) by holding it in a vertical position and sliding it down over the foldbacks until it abuts against the glass l'l. Similar clips hold the remaining three abutting pairs of ends of the gallery parts together. With these clips in position the four gallery parts are firmly secured to each other and yet, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, each resulting joint 25 presents no more than a thin indent 23 to an observer looking at the outside of the shade assembly. As may be seen in Figure 1, these indents are not noticeable in view of the intricacy of the gallery pattern indicated at 24.

This combination of the elaborately shaped planar glass surface having the re-entrant notches 2i and the gallery formed by clipping together a plurality of gallery parts and having a glass edge engaging lip formed by the hooks I9 constitutes a sturdy and attractive translucent shade which can be inexpensively made and yet is of unusual and striking appearance.

The clamping or fastening action of the gallery assembly can be best understood by examining Figure 4. If the gallery be pushed or pulled away by a force exerted in the direction of arrow A it will be resisted by the tong-like engagement of the gallery with the two closest re-entrant notches 2|. If the force is exerted along arrow B it will be resisted by engagement of several of the hooks 19 with the re-entrant walls of the par- 3 ticular re-entrant notch 21 supplemented by the cantilever action of the adjacent end portions of gallery parts I81: and 18b.

A gallery having a similar lip and clip fastening can be advantageously used in a shade having a planar glass surface of less elaborate conformation as seen in Figure 5. Here the joint 26 is identical to the joint 25 shown in Figures 1-5. This joint clamps a gallery 21 tightly around an oval-shaped planar glass surface 28 supported by a nut 29 and a plate 30 similar to the nut l5 and the plate l6 respectively.

From the foregoing it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many changes can be made in the details of this invention without departing from the scope thereof. Among other obvious changes would be a change in the shape or number of the nodes II or the elimination of them altogether. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be limited solely by the following claim.

What is claimed is:

A gallery-type light shade construction adapted for inexpensive fabrication and quick assembly comprising a fiat piece of translucent material having a support receiving hole in its center and a peripheral edge, an upstanding gallery bounding said edge and comprising at least one strip piece bent about an axis parallel to its short dimension to conform along its lower longedge to the shape of said peripheral edge, clip fastening means in engagement with the ends of said at least one strip piece to fasten said ends together, said at least one strip piece having formed along its said lower long edge an integral depending lip passing outwardly, downwardly and inwardly around and engaging said peripheral edge whereby said shade may be readily assembled without any additional fastenings by conforming said strip to said peripheral edge, fitting said lip over said edge and fastening said clip means.

GLENN E. MACFADDEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 101,033 Glatthar et a1. Sept. 1, 1936 1,841,360 Brandl Jan. 19, 1932 2,007,040 Doane July 2, 1935 2,131,823 Silberman Oct. 4, 1938 2,216,084 Libson Sept. 24, 1940 2,410,22 Latura Oct. 29, 1946 

